Box Score

HOBOKEN, NJ – Rutgers-Newark rallied from a double-digit second half deficit to take a late lead, but Stevens held off the Scarlet Raiders, 58-55, in the Canavan Arena.

Senior center Hussein Abelmaksoud notched a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds to go along with three assists and three steals, but the Raiders could not capitalize on 10-second half points by freshman forward Josh Treadwell which helped Rutgers-Newark dominate points off the bench, 19-8.

Sophomore swingman Christian Garcia finished with nine points, seven rebounds and a pair of assists, but Rutgers-Newark made just 11 of 24 free throws – including just six of 15 in the second half – to spell the difference.

Rookie forward Olumide Onajide netted five of his seven points and Treadwell tallied seven to fuel a 21-9 run which turned a 41-30 deficit into a 51-50 lead with just 4:04 left.  Sophomore guard Doze Ikwuegbu, who totaled seven points, capped the run with a layup.

Senior guard Sheldon Jones wrapped a pair of free throws and a 3-point jumper around a layup by sophomore forward Kenny Gan to put the Ducks (4-0) ahead for good at 57-51 with 1:07 left.  Jones netted a dozen of his game-high 16 points in the second half – making all five of his second half free throw tries.

Garcia hit a jumper with 28 ticks left and added a pair of free throws with nine seconds remaining to trim the Raider deficit to 57-55.

Stevens senior guard Russ Thompson missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity with six seconds left to give the Raiders a final chance at the win, but a turnover forced Garcia to foul Duck junior guard Andrew Meszaros with three seconds on the clock.  Meszaros made the first free throw before missing the second, but the Ducks got possession of the ball after a battle under the basket to ice the decision.

Freshman forward David Azoroh made three of four field goal tries to finish with eight points and three rebounds for Rutgers-Newark.

Gan posted a dozen points and eight rebounds for Stevens while junior guard Matt Skrelja added 10 points, six rebounds and game highs of seven assists and six steals.

The Raiders jumped out to a 9-2 lead as Ikweugbu and Azoroh notched two field goals apiece.  A 3-point jumper by Ikweugbu capped the run just 4:10 into the contest.  But the visitors went cold, tallying only nine more points in the remainder of the period, to trail 27-18 at the break.

Rutgers-Newark (2-2, NJAC 0-1), which lost its second straight decision after winning its first two games, will host New Jersey City in a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader on Wednesday in The Golden Dome Arena.  The women tip off at 6 p.m. with the men's game to follow at 8.